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Rage at the Reunion

Featuring Brett Ireland, Bernie Bremond, Shellie Morris, Susan Bisset and The Earth’s Calling, and Perfect Blue Sky, Rage at the Reunion is a festival dedicated to the musos of the NT, as well as those who wish to relive the nostalgia of ‘Rage at the Cage’.

Festival organiser and performer Jane Kitto spoke to Off The Leash.

Rage at the Reunion sounds like a blast – what’s it all about?
This weekend mini-fest is designed to bring local and long standing musicians together under one roof to make some big noise reminiscent of the institutional ‘Rage at the Cage’ days which were held at The Beachfront Hotel every Sunday eons ago. It will be a true, outback, “no frills” Aussie music festival, with band after band after band; and loads of beer, burgers and dancing. Humpty Doo Hotel is iconic and is an original stamping ground of some of this crowd as well.

Why is ‘Rage in the Cage’ such an inspiration?
It was like a mini Woodstock that folks came out in droves to be part of – you would get up to 1500 punters there every Sunday afternoon – it was magical. I was one of the artists who was fortunate enough to get a break there.

How did the idea for the festival come about?
Ha – guess who – Miss Kitto just loves coming back to the NT to perform and wanted to widen the circle to make it a celebration. I’m very fortunate that Humpty Doo Hotel’s Rod Parry holds an open place for me to come home and perform every year. I’m super grateful and just love the real down-to-earth vibe there.

Tell us a little about your music – and where we’d normally find you playing?
I’m based in the UK and I perform solo, as well as in a classic rock psychedelic band Perfect Blue Sky. We play throughout the UK and Scandinavia and I come back home to Australia once a year – usually to visit my folks and friends.

What are you most looking forward to about Rage at the Reunion?
As it’s a ‘one off event’ – which I’m coordinating from the other side of the world – just making it happen is a huge success! This is as true as it gets, and I know a lot of folk are flying in from interstate – as well as from Europe – for the event. It’s gonna be fab to have this chance for all to meet again.

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